The Mummy's Curse
by Ellabee15
Summary: Dr. Ginny Baker leads an expedition to excavate the tomb of a legendary pharaoh.
1. Chapter 1

Archaeologist AU

This is obviously extremely historically inaccurate.

* * *

Mike brushed a hand across his forehead and blinked away the sweat from his eyes. Wiping his hand on his pants, he grimaced as sand got caught on the back of it. Though it wasn't a surprise; there was sand everywhere. There was no escaping it when excavating in the Valley of the Kings.

"Man, why the hell are we digging here?" Miller groaned.

"We're making history, Miller." Mike growled.

"Well you're definitely setting the record for most sand in a beard." Miller muttered. Mike shot him a glare before walking out of the excavation pit. The main tent was about 30 feet from the edge of the pit. He could see her bent over the table, conversing with her research assistant, Cara. He crossed his arms and watched. Dr. Ginny Baker, wunderkind Archaeologist, genius, scholar and current pain in Mike's ass. And speaking of asses...he shook himself, looking away from her. Heat stroke, he thought to himself. He could always blame it on heatstroke.

"Dr. Baker." He called out as he approached. "Please tell me you've found something so Miller can shut his smug face?"

Ginny turned, shutting her notes and glaring at him. "We're close." She tilted her head. "And Miller never shuts his face." She grumbled.

Mike took a step back with his hands up. It was unlike her to show when she was upset. Ginny exhaled, her shoulders slumping.

"Sorry, I'm a bit..." She shrugged. Mike nodded; they were all on edge, being in the desert made tempers run high and that combined with not having found anything made for an explosive combination. Ginny looked out towards the excavation pit.

"She's here." Cara murmured. "I can feel it."

"...Riiiight." Mike said, frowning at Cara. For the most part, Ginny's research assistant was cool, but every once in a while she'd say something weird that unsettled him and she'd only gotten weirder the more they dug.

Ginny nodded, "I've gone over every detail, every reference to her there is. I know most people think I'm crazy..." she trailed off. Mike shifted, scratching at his beard. Ginny smirked, following the motion of his fingers. "If you shaved, the sand wouldn't bother you so much."

Mike let out a grunt. "So I should tell Miller to shut his face hole unless he wants to end up in the river?" Ginny shook her head.

"I'm not okaying you drowning members of my team, Lawson." She couldn't help the smile that broke over her features. It was the first time her dimples had made an appearance for a long time. In fact, he was pretty sure he hadn't seen her smile since they'd gotten here. Now if he could just get her to laugh...

"Drowning?" Mike continued. "Who said anything about drowning? Consider it me sending him back up river, without any need for fancy accommodations like a 'boat'." He made air quotes. The joke was lame, but it had the desired affect: Ginny let out her signature horsey laugh.

"Dr. Baker." Amelia Slater walked over. She was on her phone and looked annoyed, though it might also be her resting face or the fact that Mike was there. She was sure he'd only signed on to this expedition to try and take some of the glory away from Ginny's discovery for himself. Something she made sure to remind him on a regular basis. "I've got Oscar on the phone, and he wants an update on his investment."

Cara and Ginny shared a look. "We found some potsherds?" Cara's full tooth smile and slight shrug weren't reassuring. Amelia didn't even blink.

"I'll field him off." She turned and walked back towards her tent. Cara dropped her shoulders and pouted.

"How is it that some women can be in the center of the damn desert and still look like that?" She pulled the hat over her head. "If I even look at the sand, I'll get burned." She tilted her head. "I'm stealing her sunscreen."

Ginny nudged her before turning back to Mike. "Lawson, go back to the dig site. I'll be over there in a minute."

Mike shook his head. "Yes boss." If someone had told him he'd been taking orders from a newbie archaeologist not even 25, fresh after her dissertation, he'd have laughed them out of his office. For one, he'd all but given up on going into the field, but that was before he'd met Ginny Baker.

 _ **"Dr. Lawson?" Mike looked up from the paper he was grading. The young women in front of him was tall and thin with bronze curls held back into a ponytail. She didn't seem familiar, but it was hard to keep all the 200 faces in his lecture class straight.**_

 _ **"Office hours are over. If you've got a question, read the syllabus." He said, looking back at the papers. He was distracted by her sitting in the chair across from his desk. He sighed, putting his pen down, fixing her with a glare. "Look..." He paused, trying to figure out if he could remember her name. She smirked.**_

 _ **"Ginny." She replied.**_

 _ **"Ginny." He repeated, unsure why she was so calm. "I'm going to say this as politely as possible. Come back during regular office hours or expect your grade to drop." This is why he hated dealing with 101 students. Grade obsessed, too young to realize they didn't know everything and crazy enough to not respect boundaries. Teaching them was the bane of his existence. And why the hell was she still smirking at him?**_

 _ **"Dr. Ginny Baker." She said, pointing to the door that connected his office to the empty one next door. "I'm going to be moving in there and I came to apologize in advance for any noise." She stood, smoothing her shirt. "But feel free to lower my grade." She gave him a dazzling smile as she turned and walked out of his office. He blinked at the chair she'd vacated, unsure what the hell had just happened. He knew the department had hired a new adjunct and that the circumstances around them were so hush hush that even he hadn't been privy to the details. But he hadn't expected her to be so...young. What the hell was Oscar thinking? He jumped to his feet, going to the door. The other office's previous occupant had been an asshole and Mike had shoved a bookcase in front of it to avoid any fraternization. Pushing it aside, he ignored as some of the books crashed to the ground. Opening the door, he took a breath, trying to look nonchalant. Dr. Ginny Baker put a box down on her desk and smirked. "I'm sorry, I haven't set up office hours just yet." She quipped.**_

 _ **"You're the new adjunct?" He asked, noting that she flinched at the harsh tone of disbelief.**_

 _ **"To answer what I'm sure is your next question." She stood aside and offered him a chair. "I'm 23." Mike felt queasy, lurching forward, he took the seat in front of her desk and sat down heavily. "To answer what your next questions will be after you process the shock," she went to the coffee machine in the corner, which was the only thing in the office that had been set up. Riffling through the box, she pulled out a Padres mug. "No, I did not get my PhD online. No I didn't blackmail any of my professors or sleep with them." She poured some coffee in the mug and handed it to him. Mike took it and swallowed a big gulp, the caffeine sharpening his focus. Ginny sat across from him, amused. "I don't know why you're so shocked, you defended your dissertation at 26."**_

 _ **"Yeah, but..." Mike waved his arm, dismissively. "How?"**_

 _ **Her eyes turned stormy. "My dad was...Bill Baker." Mike noted her use of the past tense. Bill Baker had been an up and coming archaeologist before getting injured in a cave during an excavation. He'd dropped off the map. Mike hadn't known he had a daughter. Yet, here she was.**_

 _ **"Ginny Baker in the flesh." He murmured, sipping his coffee. "The entire department's been buzzing about the new secret adjunct with their super secret research project." He noted that a muscle jumped in her neck as she met his gaze full on. She was probably waiting for him to dismiss her, but he was impressed. "Can't wait to see what you dig up." He stood. "I'd stay longer, but then you'd probably ask me to help with your boxes." He was halfway back into his office when he paused, leaning his hand on the door frame, turning back to look at her, he asked. "How did you know how old I was when I defended my dissertation?"**_

 _ **Ginny's look of self assurance faltered as she ducked her head. She was blushing. Mike turned, looking at her with renewed interest. "I've read almost every paper you've written." She admitted. "I-"**_

 _ **"Stop." Mike said. "It makes me feel old." He turned and was almost out of the door.**_

 _ **"Ahmose Ipwet." She said. Mike froze, turning back. Surely she couldn't be that crazy...and surely the university wasn't following her down the rabbit hole. She stood, holding out a binder. "My dissertation and super secret research project." She said. "It's Ahmose Ipwet."**_

 _ **"She doesn't exist." Mike frowned, even as he walked forward, taking the binder from her.**_

 _ **"She does."**_

 _ **Mike snorted at her stubbornness. "Baker, she's a fairytale told to trick people into getting people to choose Archaeology as their major."**_

 _ **Ginny tapped the binder. "I think you'll change your mind."**_

So here he was, getting sand in places he should not have sand. All to chase down a legendary female pharaoh that Ginny was certain was buried here.

"I'm regretting not skipping out on this to go to the Caribbean." He muttered. "beaches, breezes, water that hasn't been sitting out in the desert all day, booze." He climbed back down into the excavation pit. A few minutes later, Ginny followed him down. She was about to say something when Cara tripped and slammed into her. They tumbled down, Mike tried to grab Ginny but she was just out of his reach.

"Ow." Cara groaned, pushing up her self up. Ginny rolled over and clutched her shoulder. A red spot was spreading. Mike didn't even think before he jumped, landing next to them. Ginny was hurt, nothing else mattered, not even the twinge of pain that shot through his knees as his feet hit the sand.

"We need a medic." Mike shouted as he knelt next to her. Ginny waved off his offer of help, sitting up alone. She looked down at the ground, gently brushing off the sand where she hit her shoulder. Mike's jaw dropped as the corner of a brick revealed itself.

"No fucking way." Miller whispered from behind him. Ginny's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"I..." She swallowed, rising to her feet, swaying slightly. "I'm going to..." A smile broke over her face as she turned to Cara. The other woman squealed and clapped her hands, pulling her into a hug. Ginny gripped her. "We're going to need tools." She said, pointing to the slightly exposed brick. Pulling away from Cara she grabbed Mike's arm, hauling him up to his feet before slamming him into a hug. Mike was too stunned to do anything but wrap his arms around her. "We found it." She whispered.

"You found a brick." Mike murmured, his brain going fuzzy as he felt her press against him. She pulled back to glare at him. "I mean." He added quickly. "You need to get that shoulder looked at. Let the others dig around and see what else we find." He knew she was stubborn, but he'd been doing this a lot longer and he knew full well the dangers of early celebration. Of thinking you'd found something only for it to be a rock or a fragment. He didn't want that for her; she deserved her moment in full, not the disappointment of an accident.

She looked like she was going to protest further, but a quick glance at her arm revealed blood trickling down her arm. Blood loss under the desert sun was dangerous. Biting her lip, she nodded, letting him led her off to the side.

Mike led her to a tarp, sitting her down and forcing her to drink something while her arm was being cleaned and bandaged. She was practically vibrating with excitement, he could tell she was counting down the seconds before she could go back.

"Is it bad?" He asked the medic. He knew it was useless, but he was hoping for a medical excuse for her to sit still for 2 damn seconds. She glared at him, clearly reading his mind.

"As long as she keeps it clean, it should be fine." The medic replied. Mike nodded stiffly as Ginny stuck out her tongue.

"Oh very dignified, Dr. Baker." He muttered, running a hand through his beard.

She giggled, getting to her feet. "I'm about to make the greatest discovery in archaeological history, I can be as undignified as I want." Her eyes widened and she swayed slightly. Mike steadied her, fear gripping his gut. She put her hand on his arm, squeezing slightly. Her eyes meeting his. The air left his lungs and for a second he wasn't sure who was steadying who.

"It's a roof." Sonny Evers shouted. Ginny pulled away from him, going to the edge of the excavation pit. Mike followed her, ready to grab her if she fell. She was trembling with excitement. "The brick you fell on was loose; it's part of a tomb." He pointed to the section of the roof they'd cleared.

Ginny covered her mouth, looking over at Mike to confirm that she'd really heard him correctly. "We found her?" She whispered.

Mike nodded. "You did it, Baker." He grinned as she whooped, jumping into his arms.

"Baker, your shoulder." He protested, but held her close, feeling the excitement thrum through her body. She pulled away first. Running towards the roof, shouting out orders. Mike watched her, bemused.

 _ **"Ahmose Ipwet," Mike opened the door and walked into Ginny's office. She frowned. He was holding the copy of her dissertation.**_

 _ **"That door is made for knocking." She said. Mike ignored her.**_

 _ **"Though her rule gave Egypt great prosperity, most of her subjects lived in fear of her and it was rumored that she was a powerful sorceress."**_

 _ **"That," Ginny mumbled. "Was probably sexist slandering. Powerful woman, has to be a witch."**_

 _ **Mike glanced up. "I've read the three pages where you explain that." He sat across from her. "And I was almost convinced, yet..." He put his feet up on her desk. "This next part kinda undermines your point." He cleared his throat and continued. "Feeling that she wouldn't be content with living on as a soul in the field of reeds, Ahmose Ipwet decided she wanted to rule in the afterlife." He paused, looking over the paper. "This is my favorite part because it goes full goosebumps."**_

 _ **Ginny rolled her eyes and pushed his feet off the desk. He laughed, turning his attention back to the paper.**_

 _ **"To that aim, she created a ritual that would take the life force of others. Assembling a group of her strongest palace servants, she prepared to drain them. Unbeknownst to her, her high priests had devised a countermeasure. When she tried to begin her ritual, they killed her and trapped her soul, hiding her soul in a remote valley. Death incantations blah blah blah." He lowered the paper. "And this is who you want to dig up?"**_

 _ **Ginny sighed. "There were tons of tales about curses and magic." She waved her hand dismissively. "The Egyptians believed it was part of their everyday life. In all likelihood she lost her mind and was murdered or the male priests got tired of taking orders from a woman and spread this rumor as a means of justifying them removing her."**_

 _ **Mike frowned back at the paper. "And they buried her in an unknown valley...that you believe later became the Valley of the Kings..." He looked at her, amused. Ginny smiled.**_

 _ **"She was an Old Kingdom ruler. The Valley of the Kings wasn't used as a burial site until the New Kingdom. Time moves on, sand shifts...people forget." She tapped her fingers on the desk. "At the time, above ground burials were preferred for pharaohs. So burying her underground was a form of disrespect." She smirked. "Come on, you remember how it was."**_

 _ **"Ha ha." Mike still looked uncomfortable. Ginny laughed.**_

 _ **"Come on, Lawson." She shook her head, grabbing the paper from his hands. "Don't tell me you're afraid of an old ghost story."**_

It took three days to find the door and another 3 days before negotiations with the Egyptian government allowed them open it. Ginny stood in front of the door of the tomb, raking her eyes over the hieroglyphics. She'd done it. After all the hard work and pushing from her father and fighting the doubt of everyone around her...She'd done it.

There was a whistling noise from behind her. She rolled her eyes. "You couldn't let me have my moment, Lawson?" She said over her shoulder.

Mike came up behind her, squinting at the door. "He who dares open these doors..." He murmured. "Will...eat fruit?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Wait..." He squinted at the carvings. "That could also mean suffer horribly." He sighed dramatically, glancing back at her. "Guess we'll never know."

"Well you are the expert, seeing as you were there when it was carved." She said.

Mike looked down at her. "One more joke, I dare you."

Cara materialized next to her. "So. We going to open it or what?"

Ginny looked at the door. "One more second." She whispered, pressing her hand to the door. "I want to remember this."

Cara opened her mouth to protest, but Mike shot her a glare. "This is your moment, Baker." He said. "Take as long as you need."

Ginny swallowed, nodding. We're here, dad. She thought to herself. Stepping back, she cleared her throat, motioning to the door. "Open the tomb."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Grading papers together had become routine. Mike would swagger in with a stack of papers and his mug of coffee and complain about his students.**_

 _ **"Midterms." Mike said, settling into, what was now, his chair. Ginny rolled her eyes.**_

 _ **"So that door is what, just a suggestion now?"**_

 _ **"I actually consider it more of a hindrance." He held out his mug. "Caffeinate me." Ginny rolled her eyes, reaching for the pot of coffee behind her.**_

 _ **"As if you don't have your own machine."**_

 _ **"I do." Mike grinned as she poured. "But it somehow tastes better coming from you."**_

 _ **Ginny shook her head. "I have office hours in 2 hours."**_

 _ **"Plenty of time for me to tell you about my weekend." Mike smirked.**_

 _ **"And here I thought you were planning on being productive." Ginny said. Mike shook his head.**_

 _ **"Productive is for people who don't have tenure." He fake gasped. "Oh...darn. Do...do you not have tenure yet?"**_

 _ **"I'm revoking your coffee privileges." Ginny mumbled, looking back at her computer. Silence fell. Mike's pen scratched across the paper as he looked over the paper in front of him. Ginny tapped her finger on the desk. He lowered the paper.**_

 _ **"Still no word from the administration?" He asked. She shook her head.**_

 _ **"I'm not worried." She mumbled, her fingers slamming onto the keys. "I mean, they wouldn't have hired me if they were planning on benching me, right?" At least she hoped, every time she tried to get someone to begin the process of planning an expedition to Egypt, she was shut out.**_

 _ **"Don't knock being benched." Mike said. "Things are quite cushy on this side of the desk. No bats, or dysentery or snakes." he shuddered. "Enjoy it while it lasts."**_

 _ **"I'm not planning on going through the jungle." Ginny rolled her eyes. Mike grunted, his attention going back to his grading.**_

 _ **"Why did you stop going out into the field?" The question came out before she could stop it. Mike froze slightly, then shook his head.**_

 _ **"I haven't." He said. "I headed that excavation in Virginia, remember? The Jamestown cannibals?"**_

 _ **Ginny fixed him with a look. "You know what I mean."**_

 _ **Mike sighed. "The whole Indiana Jones thing got old..." He was lying. Ginny kept her eyes trained on him, waiting. He glanced up at her through his lashes. Ginny swallowed; how had she never noticed how long his lashes were? "Baker. I know I'm irresistible, but you do have work." His heart wasn't in the joke. Ginny kept silent, waiting. He put down the papers. "What do you want from me, Baker?" His voice sounded strangled.**_

 _ **"If it's too difficult," Ginny said, feeling bad and dropping her gaze.**_

 _ **"I got injured and lost my marriage." Mike blurted out.**_

 _ **"Oh." Ginny didn't know what else to say.**_

 _ **"So." He picked up his papers. The silence that stretched between them was tense, angry.**_

 _ **"Mike." Ginny began. "If I get the go ahead for my ex-"**_

 _ **"When." Mike corrected, not looking up from his paper. "When you get the go ahead for your expedition."**_

 _ **"When." She conceded. "I'm going to need other people there...people with experience."**_

 _ **Mike's jaw dropped. "Is THE Ginny Baker saying there's something she can't do alone?"**_

 _ **"Forget I asked." Ginny grumbled.**_

 _ **"If you need me." Mike's voice was soft. "I'll be there."**_

 _ **Ginny gave him a small smile. He smirked.**_

 _ **"Besides." Mike leaned back in his chair. "Working with me is probably a dream come true for you. Seeing as I'm your idol."**_

 _ **Ginny scoffed. "I'm having a lock put on that door."**_

 _ **"Can I at least have custody of the coffee?" Mike asked innocently. Ginny threw a pen at his head.**_

The door to the tomb was sealed and opening it was painstakingly slow. In order to avoid smashing in, each piece was cataloged and set aside to be rebuilt later. Finally it was open. Ginny let out a breath. The interior of the tomb was dark. Ginny turned to the team behind her. "Okay, we'll need flash lights..." She paused, taking in the worried expressions on some of the men's faces. "What?"

"It's just..." Salvamini said slowly, his eyes darting down to the door. Ginny arched an eyebrow. Then put a hand to her temple.

"Is it the curse?" She said slowly.

"No." Sal said quickly. The other guys scoffed at the suggestion, but none of them moved forward.

Ginny looked at them incredulously. "Oh, I get it. This is a joke." She held out her hand. "Very funny. Give me a flashlight."

Mike pushed through them and gave her one. "Bunch of grown men afraid of a little hocus pocus." He muttered, shaking his head. Cara materialized at her left.

"Are we going in?" She said. Ginny nodded. Straightening her shoulders, she stepped forward, putting one foot into the tomb. The air was cool and stale. There hadn't been another living soul in here for thousands of years. An eerie stillness engulfed her and, while she knew she was being silly, her skin crawled.

"Where's the loot?" Mike's voice snapped her back to reality. She turned and pointed her flashlight at his face. He covered his eyes.

"This is the first room." She said. "And it's nice to see that you got into archaeology for the noble pursuit of knowledge.

"And to find shiny things." Mike added. Cara walked in and whistled.

"This place is empty." She said, shining her light at the walls. Ginny frowned.

"That's weird." She moved closer to the wall. The hieroglyphs were strange. Mike came and stood behind her, his beard brushing her shoulder as he leaned forward.

"Weird...doesn't even begin to cover it." He said.

"What?" Cara said. "Is it to keep people out?"

"No..." Ginny said, her fingers hoovering over the writing. "I think..." She looked over at Mike for confirmation. His eyes were wide and when he met hers, there was something nervous flickering in their depths.

"What?" Cara prompted.

"They're meant to keep something in." He murmured.

"Okay..." Cara snorted. "Are you two drinking Salvamini's ghost kool-aid too?"

Ginny shook herself and moved away from the wall and Mike. "No." She said. "Just nerves..." She flashed them a smile. "Let's go find us a mummy." She turned and walked to the doorway on the far side of the tomb. Mike followed close behind and Cara brought up the rear.

The further Ginny walked into the tomb, the more she felt unsettled. If the way Mike was shadowing her was any indication, he felt the same way. The only person who seemed at ease was Cara.

"There's no images of her." She remarked.

"The ancient Egyptians believed images of the dead were a means of access to the mortal world." Ginny said. "Statues were made in order for the spirit to enter and receive offerings...It's why, after the death of his step mother Hatshepsut, Thutmose III removed her image from her monuments and statues." She looked at Mike. "They've completely erased her."

Mike's expression was grave and Ginny knew he was thinking the same thing she was; what would have caused people to try to hide the existence of a pharaoh?

Something was wrong and suddenly every nerve in her body was screaming at her to get out.

"Maybe." She breathed..."We should take a few pictures of these first two rooms. Catalog them and come back tomorrow to deal with the burial chamber."

Mike nodded. "Sounds good."

"What?" Cara looked at them. "We should at least go to see the burial chamber today."

Ginny didn't know why, but going into the burial chamber was the last thing she wanted to do. Today, tomorrow, perhaps ever. A glance at Mike told her that he agreed with her. Cara didn't seem convinced.

"You've come so far only to turn back at the last minute?" She asked, her voice echoing off the ways. Ginny clenched, all around her the air seemed to become heavy, stifling her.

"I just...want to make sure we take our time cataloging everything." She turned and walked towards the exit. "We're coming back tomorrow."

For a moment it seemed that Cara wouldn't listen, but finally she relented.

 _ **Oscar was in Ginny's office when Mike got to the university. The door between their offices was closed, something that only happened when one of them had a meeting. Mike pressed his ear to the door.**_

 _ **"...thank you so much for this opportunity." Ginny was saying.**_

 _ **"You're going to have to take another member of the department with you." Oscar said. Mike frowned. No other person in the department had to be babysat in the field.**_

 _ **"Excuse me?" Ginny asked, clearly she knew that as well.**_

 _ **"How about Davis?" Oscar suggested. Mike grit his teeth. Davis. The asshole kept on hitting on Ginny and while initially it had seemed that Ginny had responded to him, when it became clear that he was only interested in usurping her research and one uping her she'd dumped the guy.**_

 _ **"No." Ginny said. "If he agrees to it...I'd like to have Mike Lawson with me."**_

 _ **Mike grinned.**_

 _ **Oscar sighed. "I don't know if he'll do it, but if you can convince him..."**_

 _ **"I will."**_

 _ **Mike smirked at the scoff of disbelief Oscar let out. There was the sound of the door to her office closing and suddenly the one in front of him was opened. Ginny looked up at him, amused. "So...you've finally decided to embrace the creeper lifestyle that goes with your beard?"**_

 _ **"You love the beard." Mike said, poking her in the shoulder. "You want the beard to accompany you in the desert."**_

 _ **She ducked her head.**_

 _ **"Say it." He nudged her. "Say it or I won't go with you."**_

 _ **"I can always ask Davis."**_

 _ **"But you won't." Mike growled.**_

 _ **"True..." Ginny tilted her head. "But there's always Livan."**_

 _ **"Don't." Mike growled stepping closer. "Even think about it." She was close, too close. Her mouth was so close to his that he could feel the heat radiating from her lips and could practically taste the grape flavored lip balm that she used because it reminded her of her favorite soda. His eyes closed.**_

 _ **"You'll go with me?" Ginny whispered. He nodded.**_

 _ **"Yeah." He breathed.**_

 _ **There was a knock at the door.**_

 _ **"Dr. Baker." Oscar's voice called out. Mike and Ginny sprang apart as the door opened. Oscar looked at them, his eyes narrowing.**_

 _ **"He'll do it." Ginny said, looking way more composed than Mike felt. He nodded.**_

 _ **"Um yeah..." He said. "Desert, Egypt. Fun."**_

 _ **Oscar frowned, but nodded. "Okay then." He stepped out of the office. When Mike looked back at Ginny, she'd moved back.**_

 _ **"I have...papers..." She looked over at her desk. "Grading." She shut the door before he could say anything in response.**_

A few hours after coming out of the tomb, Ginny felt incredibly silly. Fortunately, no one commented on her decision, instead they were too busy celebrating the find. She watched them, sitting off to the side. Mike sat next to her. "Hey." He said.

"Hey." She mumbled.

"Look, for whatever its worth. There's nothing wrong with trusting your gut."

Ginny looked over at him. He seemed sincere. "Lawson, I let myself be scared off by a 4000 year old ghost story. I should know better."

"I've been doing this longer than you and I was ready to run screaming from that tomb." Mike seemed to reach out his hand to put it on her shoulder, but he hesitated.

"It doesn't even hurt any more, old man." Ginny grumbled, suddenly wishing he'd take off the kid gloves. He'd been holding her at arm's length ever since that day between their offices and right now...she could really use a human connection.

"You'll go back in tomorrow, and everything will be fine." Mike said. Ginny looked at the sand. The truth was that, though she felt fine now, the idea of going back in there made her blood freeze. She shivered slightly. Mike gave her a bracing smile. "I know." he whispered. "Me too."

"What's this I hear about a curse?" Amelia demanded as she walked over to them.

Mike spoke up first. "Nothing to worry about. The ancient Egyptians believed in all types of magic that were incorporated into tombs." He gave her his most winning smile. "There's nothing to worry about." He repeated in an effort to sound reassuring.

"Really?" Amelia said, skeptical. She turned her attention to Ginny.

"Curses didn't stop tons of tombs from being raided." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Amelia or herself. "Why? Do you believe in this sort of thing?"

"I don't." Amelia snapped, pulling something out of her pocket. "But somebody clearly does." She held it out to Ginny. It was a note. Gingerly taking it in her hand, she swallowed nervously as she read. "It was stuck to the front of her tent." Amelia explained.

"What is it?" Mike looked over her shoulder.

"It says..." Ginny glanced at him. "That I will face horrifying consequences if I go into the burial chamber." She felt sick.

Mike stood and grabbed the note. "Hey!" He glared around as the team turned to look at him. "Anyone seen any 4 thousand year old decaying corpses walking around?" Amelia rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Only you." Miller shot back. Mike didn't take the bait. Looking back at the note, he frowned. The others went back to the festivities, Mike turned to Ginny, giving her a smile.

"See?"

She shook her head. "It's probably someone's idea of a joke." She suggested. Mike nodded, but neither of them looked any less nervous. Both of them remembered the feeling of the tomb and the panic the warnings inspired.

"You're right." He said.

Neither of them moved. Mike gave her a bracing smile. "I guess its stupid to think that a mummy over 4000 years old would rise from the grave for revenge but hit up a local staples for pen and paper first."

Ginny snorted, relief at Mike's joke chasing away her apprehension. "Not to mention English lessons." She said. Mike nodded.

"It'll be okay." He said.

It didn't stop him from walking her back to her tent that night.

* * *

Mike got 0 sleep that night. He couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had gripped him ever since he'd entered that goddamn tomb. He'd only felt something similar once, years ago when he'd fallen into that abandoned mine shaft and broken his legs. He'd been down there for about an hour before someone got to him. He'd been sure he was going to die. Walking into that tomb and reading the hieroglyphs...he'd been hit with the same sensation...only magnified. And Ginny had felt it too. He rolled over, turning to face the side of his tent that he knew was the direction of Ginny's. It was stupid to be freaked out by a curse and yet...something felt wrong.

He wondered if Ginny was up as well and briefly considered going to her tent to check on her...but she was sharing with Cara and he wanted to avoid any unnecessary questions. Besides, what would he say to her? I'm terrified that the spirit of an evil mummy will rise again? It was ludicrous.

Right?

Mike looked like he hadn't slept. Ginny sat across from him at breakfast, putting two mugs of coffee in front of her. She'd tossed and turned as well.

"Rough night?" She said. He nodded. "I get that, I know need your beauty sleep to replenish the energy drained by your beard."

"She's got jokes." Mike mumbled, taking a sip of his coffee and gagging. "Urgh field coffee is the worst coffee."

Ginny pushed one of her mugs towards him. "It's from the secret stash I brought over." She said when Mike sniffed it suspiciously. His eyes lit up.

"Mmmm." He moaned happily as he took a sip. "You are a life saver." He seemed to recover himself and glared at her. "And if you ever repeat that I said that I will deny it."

Ginny shook her head. "Mike...I think we're over reacting."

He arched an eyebrow. "That's kinda the joke."

"I'm talking about the tomb."

He looked down at the table before shaking his head. "Logically, I suppose we are..."

"We're going inside and finding the burial chamber." Ginny said, moving to stand. Mike stopped her, covering her hand with his.

"Ginny." His voice was hushed. "Are you sure?"

No, she definitely wasn't, but she found herself nodding. "I'm sure."

Mike was about to reply when Cara walked over to them, dragging Tommy Miller by the ear.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow." Tommy protested. Cara stopped, throwing him a glare.

"Tell them what you did." She said. Tommy rubbed his ear.

"It was just a stupid joke."

Ginny felt her body go lax. The tension that had sent in since Amelia had given them that note was gone.

"You wrote the note." She said. Mike's grip on her hand tightened. Tommy nodded.

"Like I said; a joke."

"You've got a fucked up sense of humor, Miller." Mike growled and Ginny couldn't help but agree.

"Whatever." Tommy shrugged and walked away. Ginny gave Mike what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"See." She said. "Nothing to worry about."

Mike nodded slowly. "Okay." He looked in the direction of the opening of the tomb. "Let's go meet Ahmose Ipwet."


	3. Chapter 3

Mike didn't like this, not one bit. Even if Miller had faked that note, it did nothing to explain the way he'd felt in the tomb. Ginny was powering through her fear, focusing on the big picture to drive her forward. He was ready to grab her and run, putting as much distance between the two of them and this place as was geographically possible.

They walked back through the entrance. He stuck to her side, though if it was to make sure she was safe or to comfort himself, he didn't know. He glanced up at the walls, the ominous ancient warnings telling him to stay out. Warning him that something further inside was evil, dangerous. The feeling from the day before started again.

"You okay, old man?" She whispered. There was a slight ripple of fear in her voice. She looked ill. Mike didn't blame her. The only person unaffected, was Cara. She was staring towards the burial chamber, an excited glint in her eyes.

The burial chamber was just up ahead. Mike swallowed and waited for stood in the doorway. Neither of them willing to even look inside. The darkness seemed to swirl and breathe.

"Are we going in or what?" Cara said from behind them. Mike put his hand on Ginny's waist. She jumped slightly, glancing back at him. He didn't want her to go in. He silently begged her, her brown eyes were glittering in the light of the flashlights. She swallowed.

"Yeah." She took a deep breath.

"Wait." Mike said. He couldn't let her go in by herself. He shouldn't let her go in at all. Not when every fiber of his being was screaming at him to flee.

She grimaced. "It's okay old man." She took his hand and walked forward, pulling him with her over the threshold of the burial chamber. He flinched...nothing happened.

The two of them let out a sigh of relief, laughing. Ginny shook her head.

"Can you believe how stupid we've been?" She whispered before shining his flashlight at the walls around them.

Mike was about to agree with her...when he caught sight of the walls. The feeling was back. The walls were empty.

"There should be writing here." Ginny said. "AH." She crumpled to her knees. Covering her head with her hands.

"Ginny." He was about to rush to her when a wave of...something hit him. He felt to the ground next to her. Despair, rage, evil. It was all around him; choking him. And it was coming from the sarcophagus. He blinked through the dizziness towards it. Cara was moving closer, unaffected by the same horror that he and Ginny were feeling. Ginny had slumped to the floor, groaning and curling into a ball. Mike pulled her against him. "Cara." He gasped, looking at the other woman. She needed to get away from that thing. They needed to leave.

Cara ignored him. She reached out her hand. The air went cold. Mike squeezed his eyes shut. He felt as though he was being crushed.

"Mike." Ginny whispered. Her hand gripping his. His head swam. A green light flashed as his eyes closed and all he could feel was the grip of Ginny's hand as he blacked out.

* * *

Ginny's eyes felt heavy and her head was pounding. She whimpered slightly.

"Easy, Dr. Baker." A voice said. She turned in the direction of the voice, her eyes opening a crack. All she could see were fuzzy white shapes.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"San Diego Memorial hospital." The voice answered. "You were transported back to the states when it became clear that the Egyptian medical authorities had no idea what was wrong with you."

Ginny opened her eyes the whole way. There was a nurse at the end of her bed. Her throat felt dry and she was exhausted. "What is wrong with me?" She asked.

The nurse hesitated. "Truth be told." She said. "We don't know. You collapsed in that tomb in Egypt and while all your vitals were normal, you just...weren't there."

Things were slowly coming back to her. The tomb, the stone walls empty of any decoration. The pounding in her head and the feeling of despair that had overwhelmed her...her reaching for Mike...Mike. She looked around. "Where's Mike?"

"Dr. Lawson?" The nurse said. "He's in the next room."

"And Cara?" Ginny asked.

"She was discharged in Cairo. Her fainting spell didn't last as long as yours." The nurse explained. "Do you want her to visit you?"

Ginny nodded. "I want to see Mike." She tried to get up. The nurse pushed her down.

"I don't think it's possible just yet, Ms. Baker. You-"

"Get off me." A voice shouted from outside. "I need to see her." The door banged open and Mike came in. He was wearing a hospital gown, his beard was wilder than when she'd last seen it and a harried looking doctor behind him. A look of relief came over his face as he saw her awake. He walked forward and sat heavily on the bed next to her, taking her hand in his as he slumped against the pillows.

"Mike." She said, gripping his hand.

"Hey Baker." His smile was pained. She leaned against him, taking in the comfort of his presence, ignoring the hospital staff who were buzzing around them.

"What happened to us?" She asked. Mike shook his head.

"I wish I knew."

* * *

Mike knocked on the door adjoining their offices. Ginny looked up from the folder in her hands and frowned at it. He'd never asked for permission to come in before. They'd been avoiding each other ever since they'd been discharged from the hospital. Him knocking was a stark contrast from the man who had to be threatened with a tranquilizer to leave her hospital room. "Come in." She rasped. Mike opened the door and took a few steps into the room, before stopping.

"I see you tamed your beard." Ginny mumbled, trying to make conversation. Mike ran his fingers through his noticeably shorter facial hair.

"Well you know how it is; too much of a good thing." He mumbled. They both fell silent. Mike glanced at the folder.

"That what I think it is?" He asked. She winced.

"The pictures the team took of the inside of the tomb." She mumbled. "Apparently tons of people went in to the burial chamber after us...no one fainted." She put it down on the desk, pressing a hand to the cover before looking up at him. "I can't open it." She mumbled.

"I don't blame you." Mike said. "Something...something about that damn tomb wasn't right."

"At least its over now." Ginny whispered. Mike shook his head.

"I...I can't shake the feeling that its just the beginning." He was voicing Ginny's worst fears. She shivered, the warm California sun streaming in through the window not enough to counteract the cold that seized her gut. "I don't think we should have opened it."

Ginny looked at the folder. "They want me to give a presentation." She said. "A press conference announcing the greatest find of the century." She winced. "They're comparing it to Howard Carter finding Tutankhamen."

Mike sat across from her, looking at her intently.

"I just...I don't think I can." She looked away, heat rising to her cheeks at Mike's unwavering gaze,

"Wanna know what I think?" Mike's voice was quiet. "I think what other people want doesn't matter. You uncovered the location of the tomb, you led the expedition and you did make the most important archaeological find of the century. If you want to speak at a press conference, then speak at a press conference, but if you don't..." He shrugged. "Don't do it for Oscar or the department, do it for you."

Ginny nodded. "I'm..." She hesitated. "I'm scared."

"I think we both are." He murmured. "Have you talked to Ca-"

The door to her office burst open. Ginny let out a surprised yelp, covering her mouth. Mike jumped up, his pose defensive, ready to attack. He relaxed when he saw Salvamini and Miller. Ginny frowned. Their expressions were worried,

"What is it?" She asked.

"Oscar and Al are on their way to the hospital." Sal said. Ginny's eyes widened.

"Al?" She said. The building's security guard was a kindly old man who always gave her some of his home made gnocchi. "What happened?"

"They were attacked, but..." Sal hesitated.

"The attacker left a calling card." Miller said. "You need to see it."

Ginny and Mike followed them to Oscar's office. Blood painted the walls of the hall and crime scene tape blocked their way. Ginny pressed her lips together, her eyes going wide as she watched two police officers talking.

"This is Dr. Baker, Officer." Miller said. Mike glared at him as one of the police officers walked over to them.

"She's been with me the entire afternoon." He growled, blocking the officer's path.

"We don't think Dr. Baker is responsible for this." The officer said, giving Mike an assessing look. "But there are some details about the weapon that she might be able to give us some insight into." He held up an evidence bag. Ginny moved around Mike, leaning forward to get a better look at it. It was soaked in blood, but still visible was a carving into the handle. Ginny felt faint and shrank away.

"No." She whispered.

Mike looked at the handle and muttered a muffled curse before pulling her to his side. "What is it?" The officer asked.

"Ahmose Ipswet." Ginny said. "It says Ahmose Ipswet." The world tilted and all she could hear was Mike calling her name as she faded away.

* * *

"Eat something." Mike ordered.

"No." Ginny growled, sitting up and putting a hand to her forehead. She was in the university medical center. Mike had carried her there as soon as she'd lost consciousness. She was scared, embarrassed, and angry. "Why would someone do this?" She asked, looking over at Mike.

"Baker." He put his hand on her arm. "It's probably a prank."

"No." A woman Ginny didn't recognize marched in. She slammed the door, fixing Mike and Ginny with an angry look. "This is decidedly not a prank." She pointed to the two of them. "Both of you screwed up, big time."

"Excuse me?" Mike gaped at her.

"I swear I take one vacation." She walked over to the windows, locking them and going back to the door and locking it as well. "All I wanted to do was take my damn kids to Disneyland and apparently all my colleagues decide it's time for them to take a vacation as well. So I come back from a weekend of tricking my husband into going on the rides with the boys only to find out, that the spirit of an angry murderous pharaoh is out and on the loose." She pulled a small scepter out of her purse and moved towards Ginny.

Mike blocked her. She scoffed.

"Boy please, if I had wanted you dead I would have done it already." She waved the scepter over him, then over Ginny. "Well you two aren't possessed." She said.

"Murderous..." Ginny gulped. "Al and Oscar are..."

"No." The woman waved her hand dismissively. "The possessed body is terrible at stabbing people. They'll be out of the woods soon enough, but Ahmose is smart, she won't make the same mistake next time."

"Ahmose?" Mike repeated.

"Who are you?" Ginny asked.

"Evelyn Sanders." The woman said. "My great times about 100 grandmother was a priestess for the goddess Sehkmet who helped lock up that crazy witch 4 thousand years ago and now she's loose." She crossed her arms. "I need to know everything that happened when you went into her prison."


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny's eyes widened.

"Wait." Mike said. "You're a descendant of the order of Sekhmet?" Ginny gaped at him. "What? I read your paper."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "That and I'm a member. We're in charge of protecting humanity in the war against supernatural forces." She glared. "But apparently everyone forgets how to do their job when I'm not around." She sighed, "we need to find her and fast. If she does manage to kill someone, she'll get stronger."

"Stronger?" Mike said.

Evelyn nodded.

"You think she's trying to finish the ritual." Ginny whispered. Evelyn scoffed.

"Not think, know." She snapped her fingers in front of their faces. "Come on. Details. If you don't tell me, more people are going to get hurt and she might gain immortality."

"We fainted." Ginny said. "There was this...evil presence and we-"

"Not all of us." Mike said softly. Ginny frowned. What was he insinuating?

"You can't...you can't think Cara has anything to do with it." She said.

"Cara?" Evelyn asked. Ginny looked over at her.

"My research assistant, but she has nothing to do with this." She looked over at Mike. "She passed out like the rest of us."

"No." He shook his head, his face pale. "I saw her when I fell. She was walking towards the sarcophagus, her hand reaching for it." He looked over at Ginny. "I know she's your friend, but when I passed out, she was about to touch the lid. I never saw her pass out." He grimaced. "I know she's your friend-"

"I'm going to need her address." Evelyn said. "Phone number, any information on her you have. Then I want you to get to a safe location and not leave until I give you the all clear. Let no one in."

"She'd never hurt Al or Oscar." Ginny said. Evelyn gave her a sad look.

"I'm sure your friend wouldn't...but she's not herself right now." She turned and left. Ginny looked at Mike.

"You can't believe this."

"What was in that tomb..." He murmured. "Felt angry...evil. We both know there was something wrong with that place. It wasn't natural..." He put his hand on her shoulder. It was warm and reassuring.

"Who went into the burial chamber first?" Evelyn asked, snapping Ginny's focus back to her.

"Um..." she glanced over at Mike. "Me." Evelyn's eyes widened. Ginny winced. "why, is that bad?"

"It means you broke the binding spell keeping her in." Evelyn explained and "You're the key to putting her back...which means she's going to come after you."

"Like hell she is." Mike growled, his grip on her shoulder tightening. Evelyn examined them curiously before nodding.

"Get to somewhere safe. I'll contact you when I need you."

Ginny felt nauseous. "Cara knows where I live." She whispered.

"She doesn't know where I live." He said. "Come on," he helped get her to her feet. Numbly Ginny let him lead her to the door.

* * *

Mike triple checked the locks as Ginny wandered around his house, all the while keeping an eye on her location. He wasn't losing her. She was shell shocked, her usually bright expression, flat and distant. It hurt him to see her so pained. "Okay." He said, walking over to her. His voice made her jump and turn to look at him in fear. She slumped slightly as he approached. "I've got some garlic we can hang over the exits and some salt we can use on the window sills. I'm fresh out of holy water though... you wouldn't happen to be a minister?"

There was a slight twitch of muscle in her cheek. "No." She whispered.

He grimaced. "Do you think it counts if I get priestified on line?"

Ginny hugged herself, looking away at the far wall. "I think it definitely doesn't count if you call it being 'priestified'," She mumbled, looking around. "Why do you live in a fish tank?"

"I happen to like watching the sunset." He said, walking closer to her. She was tense, her eyes darting around her. Her entire being seemed to vibrate as she put a hand to her mouth. She was holding in her emotions and it was causing her pain. "Hey." He was at her side in an instant, hoovering. He wanted to touch her, fold her into his arms, but he wasn't sure if she would welcome it.

"This is my fault." The strangled whisper make his blood run cold.

His stomach lurched as she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I opened the tomb and now Al and Oscar are in the hospital. Cara's possessed and..." She broke off, moving away from him. Mike ignored the pain at her moving away from him.

"You're absolutely right." He said, nodding when she gaped at him. "I mean, of course you had to know that magic is real and that an ancient demon queen would rise from the dead and possess your friend in order to make herself immortal." He shrugged. "I mean, come on how could you not have known."

Ginny looked at the ground, the corner of her mouth twitching. "I know what you're trying to do." She whispered, shaking her head. "It's not going to work."

"Then why are you smiling?" Mike asked, moving closer. She didn't move away this time, lifting her chin and meeting his eyes. Tears slid out, going down her cheeks. He lifted his hand, brushing away her tears. Ginny took his hand, holding it in hers.

He moved her over to the couch, sitting her down, him across from her.

"It's not your fault." He said. She pulled him against her, clinging to him as though he was her lifeline. "It's not your fault."

"We should never have gone in that tomb." She whispered. "I'm...scared."

Mike gulped. He knew how closed off Ginny could be at times and for her to vulnerable with him. "No mummy is going to hurt you." He squeezed her. "I can't lose you."

"Me neither." She whispered. "When I was in there...the only thing I could think of was..."

He knew what she meant; the only thing he'd been able to do was move towards her.

She pulled away. "Hey," He reached for her, his hand brushing her hip. She jumped in surprise. "Wait..." His eyes widened at her motioned. "Are you ticklish?"

"No." She said quickly, but the way she scooted to the other side of the couch and the way she curled her body into herself, told him she was lying. This was the best news. Mike moved towards her.

"Big bad Dr. Baker..." He said. "Is ticklish." His fingers reached for her waist. She jolted away from him, getting to her feet and backing away.

"I'm not ticklish, Mike." She said, holding up her hands as if to protect herself.

"You say that..." Mike got up and strolled lazily towards her. "And yet." He wiggled his fingers in her direction. Ginny gulped, putting her foot on the bottom step. She was focused on his approach and not on the fear of their circumstances.

"Mike." She warned.

"Ginny." He replied. They were frozen, staring at each other. He didn't know how, but they moved at the same time. Ginny turned to run up the stairs just as Mike lunged for her. She let out a laugh as she scrambled out of his reach. He chased after her, blood pounding in his ears. "Come on, Baker."

She ran to the second floor, putting the pool table between them. Mike stopped on the other end. He grinned, leaning forward and putting his hands on the table. "End of the line, Baker."

Ginny glanced over her shoulder. He recognized the moment she realized that the only thing behind her was his bedroom. He wasn't, however, ready for the look she gave him when she turned back around. She licked her lips, raking her eyes down his body before running towards the door. He followed, putting his hand out to stop him as she tried to close it. She let out a laugh, looking at him and stepping back.

Mike was frozen in the doorway, unsure what to do. This was a line. One he wasn't sure they should cross. He waited for her to lead. She looked over her shoulder at the large windows that spanned an entire wall. The sun was setting and the streaks of orange and shadows thrown by the light, making her curls look like they were made of fiery bronze. "Sunset?" She whispered. He nodded. She looked back. "It's beautiful."

"The most beautiful view in all of San Diego." He breathed. She gave him a shy smile.

"I..." She gulped. "I don't want you to be murdered by the ghost of a possessed pharaoh." He blinked.

"Oh...kay?"

"What I mean is..." She looked down at the ground. "You...I..."

He knew what she meant. He wanted to shout. "Me too, since the moment you came into my office," but before he could say anything, she had moved towards him, pressing herself against him, her lips just a breath away. Mike saw sparks, his eyes fluttered shut as her soft lips pressed against his, He groaned, lifting her in his arms, his hands reaching for every inch of her skin he could touch. She brushed her teeth against his bottom lip, her arms winding around his shoulders. He gripped her thighs, lifting her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Mike." She gasped, putting her head back as he attached his mouth to her throat. "Your knee."

"Will be fine." He growled, moving them back towards the bed. He meant it. His injured knee be damned, all he needed was Ginny. He put her down on the bed, falling on top of her, pressing his entire weight against her. She let out a sound that reverberated in his bones and went straight to his groin. "Gin." He groaned, palming her ass.

"Mike."

There was a cracking noise. Mike's head turned in the direction of the window. Spiderweb like cracks were forming across the glass, spreading from the corner. Mike moved and pressed Ginny's face to his chest. His back towards the window as it shattered. Glass covered his back and he felt it cutting into his skin.

"Well." Cara's voice rang through the room, making the air around them buzz. Mike shut his eyes, holding Ginny against him as the same feeling of horror that he'd felt in the tomb came over him. "Isn't this cozy?"

* * *

Ginny wriggled out of Mike's grasp, looking up at the window. Cara was standing in the now empty void where the window used to be. Her eyes were glowing green and her hair floated, curling around her head like snakes.

"What do you want?" Mike growled, trying to pull her back.

"To talk." Cara's voice sounded wrong. It was undercut by a rumbling noise and Mike was pulled away from her, across the room and slammed into the wall. He slid to the ground. Cara lowered her hand. Ginny ran towards him only to find she couldn't move. "Come now, Ginny." Cara's hand forced her back on the bed. "Is that anyway to treat your friend?"

"You're not Cara." Ginny ground out, struggled against the weight that held her down. The air around her grew heavy and charged. Cara's responding laugh made the marrow in her bones quake.

"Aren't you clever?" Ahmose Ipswet said through Cara's face. "Though I suppose you did find me."

"Why are you doing this?" Mike gasped. "She freed you..."

"Because I need her life force." Ahmose said. "It took 7 to bind me and now that I am free it will take 7 to ensure I will never be bound again." She tilted her head, looking at Ginny. "And I..." She reached out, caressing Ginny's cheek. Mike let out a growl. "I want one of the life forces to be the woman who was brilliant enough to find me."

"Well that's fucking stupid." Mike said. Ginny looked over at him in horror. Was he trying to get himself killed? "I mean, you could have picked any random 7 people from here to Egypt and been immortal already and no one would have realized a damn thing, but oh no. You had to have the life force of specific people. Classic dumb villain move." He was struggling against her hold. "I guess 4000 years wasn't enough time to come up with a decent plan...though I suppose you've been very busy doing nothing in a box."

"Mike." Ginny hissed as the air around Cara began to glow green. "Don't taunt the evil demonic pharaoh sorceress."

Mike looked over at her and mouthed, 'trust me'.

"Why is it that you speak English?" He continued. "Did the order of Sekhmet lock you in that box with duolingo in case you got bored?" He let out a choking noise as Cara advanced, her hand outstretched. Grabbing at invisible hands at his throat, he was lifted off the ground.

"You insolent...little..." Ahmose said. Her back was to Ginny. At that moment, Evelyn Sanders climbed into the room and moved over to Ginny and she realized what Mike had been doing. From his position on the opposite side of the room, he had seen Evelyn and was distracting the sorceress.

"I need your blood." Evelyn mumbled. Ginny held out her hand. Anything to help Mike. Evelyn slashed her palm, capturing the blood in a box covered in hieroglyphs. Evelyn began chanting. Cara's body froze. Mike fell to the ground and lay still as Ahmose rounded on Evelyn.

"You foolish mortal." The sorceress screeched. Ginny felt the power holding her against the bed lessen. She pushed through, rushing to Mike, pulling him against her. He clung to her.

"Mike." She whispered.

Evelyn's voice got louder. What ever she was saying was working. Ahmose was in agony, falling to her knees, wailing at the sky. "No." She shouted. "NOOOOO." Cara's mouth opened and a green light came out and rushed towards Evelyn. Evelyn held up the box and the light went in. Evelyn shut it. Muttering a few more words, she let out a sigh of relief. Silence filled the room. Cara was unconscious, lying still on the ground.

"Is she?" Ginny asked. Evelyn shook her head.

"She needs some rest, but she probably won't remember a thing." She looked around at the damage to Mike's bedroom. "Thank goodness this window was so big. It made it easier to sneak up on her."

"Ha." Mike mumbled. Ginny shushed him, running her fingers over his chin, through his beard. He hummed. "You like the beard." He whispered, pressing his face closer to her.

"I guess it goes without saying that you can't breathe a word of this." Evelyn continued.

"No one would believe us even if we did." Ginny mumbled. Evelyn gave her a small smile before going over to Cara and pressed two of her fingers to her head. Cara relaxed, then smiled. Outside, sirens blared. Ginny glanced at them, then when she looked back at Evelyn, she was gone.

* * *

"What are you reading?" Mike asked, his body blocking the sun. She pulled the book away from his dripping form.

"You're getting pool water everywhere." She said, trying, unsuccessfully, to not watch the way droplets of water were traveling down his chest over his stomach. He smirked.

"My pool, my house." He moved to the seat next to her, sitting down, his knees cracking slightly. "My life saving windows." He nuzzled her shoulder with his chin. "My orgasmic beard."

Ginny rolled her eyes, letting him take her legs and pull them onto his lap.

"So, what are you reading?"

He looked at ease with her eyeing him. She put her book down, moving so she was sitting astride his lap, letting her arms fall over his shoulders. He hummed, pressing his face against her chest, his lips grazing her collar bone.

"It's a book." She said, shutting her eyes.

"My eyesight isn't that bad, Baker." He mumbled, his hands sliding down her hips.

"About this ancient Inca queen."

Mike froze, jerking back his head to look at her. "No."

"But-" Ginny said.

"Absolutely not." He pushed her off, grabbing her discarded book. Getting up, he strode to the kitchen. Ginny followed.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Burning it" Mike said. "You're not excavating so much as a clay pot unless we're one hundred percent sure it's evil sorceress free." He turned on the stove. "No more witches. No more secret societies. No more 4000 year old revenge obsessed murderous mummies. You're going to keep that perfect pear shaped ass here in San Diego where I can make sure it stays out of trouble."

Ginny crossed her arms. "Really?"

"Yes." Mike grumbled. "You can't be trusted to be on your own, I'm doing a public service." He glared at the book. "Can't have you getting any ideas."

Ginny grabbed the book before he could lower it into the flames. "And here I thought you asked me to move in with you because you loved me." She shook her head, sighing dramatically. "Turns out your only motivation was to survey my perfect pear shaped ass." Pressing herself against him, she moved him away from the stove, turning it off. "It's not a serious historical book. It's fiction."

Mike wrinkled his nose. Ginny kissed his cheek.

"Huh." she poked the end of his nose. "Your face really does freeze that way."

He exhaled, leaning down as he gathered her in his arms. "I do love you." He murmured. "Surveying your ass is just a bonus."

"Uh huh." She pressed herself against him, ignoring the water on his body.

"I just want you safe." Mike pressed a kiss into her hair.

"I am." She smiled. "I have you."

"And you love me." He prompted.

She scrunched her face in mock concentration, tapping her chin. "I don't know..." she tilted her head laughing as Mike pouted. "Do I?"

"Gin." He growled.

She nodded. "I do."


End file.
